Measuring unit for lubricating systems



Oct. 11, 1932. G. L. MOORE MEASURING UNIT FOR LUBRICATING' SYSTEMS Filed 001:. 8. 1925 EEF 1 ma M uwdl Patented Oct. 11, 1932 UNITED sTAres PATENT MEASURING UNIT non runnron'rilve SYSTEMS Application filed October 8, '1925. Serial No. 61,268.

In recent years much thought and efiort' have been expended on central lubricating systems by means of which a plurality of bearings may be supplied simultaneously with measured quantities of oil or other lubricating material. So far as I am aware, however, none of the prior systems has been such that the amount of lubricant that will e) gard to the length of'time'required to complete a cycle of operations.

In carrying out my invention, I employ a small chamber, to be located at the bearing to be lubricated, having an outlet to the bearing and an inlet; together with means in the chamber for segregating therein an exact quantity of lubricant when the pressure in the supply conduit is relieved, and to dischar e this predetermined quantity into the 1 bearing when the pressure in the supply conduit is-subsequently increased; the amount of pressure being of no consequence, as long as it is suflicie'nt to operate a movable element in the chamber, and it being also immaterial whether or not the lubricant is forced quick- 1y or" slowly toward the measuring unit, as the exactness by which the measuring is performeddoes not depend on theelement of time or'speed of operation.

Each small quantity of lubricating material that is segregated in a unit is positive ly transferred to the underside of a piston or plunger whenever the pressure at the central distributing point is released so that, when pressure is again applied, the lubricant so segregated is positively forced by the piston or plunger into the bearing to be lubricated. Therefore, in the event that the passage to the bearing should be obstructed, the full pressure of the system is available to GEORGE L. MOORE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 ALElldITE oonrona'rrolv, a CORPORATION OF DELAWARE v .force the Obstr ction out. Therefore, viewed mvonelof its aspects, y invention ma b said to have for its objectjto produce a simple and novel distributing system which will permit measured quantities of lubricating material to besegregated at various points andthen to be forced under the pressure of the system into .or toward the bearings The. various features of novelty whereby my invention is characterized will hereinafter be pointed, out with particularity in the claims; but, for a :full understanding of my invention and of its objects and. advantages, reference may be had'to the following detailed description taken in connectionwith theaccompanying drawing, wherein:

Figurel 1s a more or less diagrammatic representation of a systemembodying my invention, t o of the measuring units being shown in elevationtand these being shown as connected to a combined pump and tank that is shown in section; Figs 2, 3 and t are vertical sections through the lower end of one of the measuring units applied to a member to be lubricated, showing different positions of the parts; and Fig. 5 is a-section on line 55 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawing, A. and B represent two members having bearings to be lubricated. Attached to each of these members is one of I my improved measuring units C. Branch conduits D, D extend from a main supply conduit E that leads to a combined pump and storage reservoir F.

In the arrangement shown, the device F consists of a small closed reservoir 1 having a vertical tube2 extending through the same from top to bottom and communicating at its lower end'with the main conduit E. Near the lower end of the tubeis a lateralv projection 3 in the form of a cup having its closed end directed outwardly, the interior of the cup communicating with the interior of the tube;

Slidable vertically in the tube is a plunger 6 7 that may have a button or pedal 7 on its up;

per end. The plunger rests on a spring 8 7 within the tube, the spring normally holding the plunger in a raised position. Assuming the check valve and into the tube.

that the plunger is down and the reservoir full of oil H, it will'be seen that when the plunger is permitted to rise, under the action of the spring, the oil will be drawn past Then,

" when the plunger is depressed, thisoil will be 1 cylinder is closed forced out through the conduit E and its branch conduits to the measuring units.

I The'details of the measuring units are best shown in Figs. 2 to 5. Referring to these figures, 10 represents a small cylinderhaving at the lower end a nipple 11 by means of which into the member A. The at the bottom by a wall'12 that rises toward the center, so that the angle it -may be screwed I between the bottom wall and'the inner cylindrical side wall is acute.

There is a central passage l extending downwardlythrough the bottom wall of the cylinder and thenipple, this being the outlet passage for the device. Screwed upon the upper end of the cylinder 10 is a cap l l'having a central cylinder bore'15 coaxial with the cylinder 10. The upper portion of thecap, in which aportionof the cylindrical bore lies, is in the form of a stem 16 that is closed at the top by another cap 17 to which one ofthesupply conduits Dis attached; the cap 17 having an inlet: passage 18 extending vertically therethrough. The'extreme upper end of the bore in the parts 14: and 16 is preferablyenlarged,

as indicatedat 19, for purposeto be hereinby the cup-shaped packing. The outlet passage 13 is enlarged tin-diameter atthe upper en d toform a pocket 23 within which is" seated the lower end of a coiled spring 2 lthe upper end of which bears against the bottom of the head on the plunger, or rather against the bottom wall ofthe cup packing which intervenes between thespring and the head. A slot 25 extends diametrically across the extreme upper end of the plunger, forming an inlet port to the cylinder 10 under certain conditions.

Normally the parts are as shown in Fig. 2. When the plunger is depressedat thecentral distributing point, the oil is forced through the conduit and-presses downthe plunger in each of the measuring units that are being employed. Just before the body of the slot in the top of the plunger drops below the ment of the plunger,

the pump plunger 6 plane of thebottom of the cylindricalbore 15, the rim of the cup packing engages with. the inclined bottom wall 12 in the cylinder 10 so as effectively to close the outlet from the cylinder. A slight further downward move in Fig. 3, results in a slight compression of the cylindrical side wall of the packing, and opens communication between the bore 15 and the interior of the cylinder 10,so that theioil shoots down into the cylinderand fills the space in the same around the plunger. The plunger 20 remains in the position adjacent the outlet end of the cylinder 10 until at the central distributing point is permitted to be returned by the force of the spring 8 to its uppermost position. The pressure on the oil in the'conduits is thereby also relieved and theoilis allowed to fiowback toward the distributing reservoir under the pressure of the springs in the measuring units. Therefore, as soon as the pump beginswhat may be termed its suction stroke, the springs in the measuring units become active and force the plungers up. The first the plunger in a measuring-unit results in closing communication between the bore. 15

to the point indicated 7 slight upward movement of f and the interior of. the cylinder 10,so that the-oil that has been collected in the cylinder remains there. As the upward movement of the plunger in the measuring cylindericone tinues, the pressure on the-oil in the cylinder, above the cup packing, forces the sides of the packing away from the walls of the cylinder, is shown in Fig. l, so that the oil is transferredfrom the upper end ofthe cylinder to the lower end. The oil thus transferred may run down into the bearing to be lubrie cated or, if it meets too much resistance to do so, it may remain in the lower end of the 'cylinder until the pump is again operated, whereupon the-oil in the bottom of the. cylinder will be forced out by the downwardly moving plunger or piston above the same.

It will be seen that when a plunger inthe me'asuring unit is in its raised position, it

extends only partially into the enlarged chamber 19 in which a comparatively large pool of oil remains to afford an immediate L supply for again filling the measuringcham'- her in the cylinder.

By making the bottom wall of'the cylinder 1 in the form ofa frustum of a. cone, I insure that the outlet from the measuring unit will always be tightly sealed, because it follows that if the rin i' of the cup-shaped packing does not become tightly seated at the begin ning, the pressure on the oil above, which tends to force the oil down past the packing, i

will press the annular wall of the latter inwardly against the slope of the bottom wall of the cylinder.

Itwill thus be seen that ateach operation of the pump there willbe an accurately measl ured quantity of oil segregated each measuring unit, because the outlet; is. sealed before the inlet is opened, and the inlet is. again closed after a very slight upward movement of the plunger and piston in the measuring unit; It will also be seen that While'my improvedunit will operate efficiently in'case a quick pressure is applied to the oil, its operation is not dependent upon speed, but is equally efficient if the pressure on the incomingv oil isapplied only slowly; because the construction is such that the control of the inlets and outletsand the movement of the movable parts depends simply on movement of the incoming oiland not on the speed of such movement. Furthermore, in-=the event that the passage to a'bearing; is obstructed, substantially the full pressure of the system is available to drive out the obstruction.

V a This application is a continuation in part of :my co-pending application Serial No. 13,731, filed March 7, 1925, for lubricating systems.

lVhile I haveillustrated and. described with particularity only a single preferred form of my invention, I do not desire to be limited to the exact structural detailsthus illustrated and described; but intend to cover all forms and arrangements which come within the definitions of myinvention constituting the appended claims,

I claim! 1. A measuring and discharge unit comprising a member containing two aligned cylindrical chambers arranged end to end one above the other, the upper chamber being smaller in diameter than the lower, there being an inlet at the topof the upper chain her and an outlet at the bottom of the lower chamber, a plunger slidable in the upper chamber and having a head arranged in and smaller in diameter than the lower chamber, a downwardly-facing cup packing on the head to prevent liquid from flowing up past the same and permit a down flow of such liq; uid, there being a port so located in the upper end'of the plunger as to open communica tion between'the two chambers only after the plunger has descended far enough, partially to compress the cuppacking againstthe bo tom of the lower chambeiythe bottom wall of tie lower chamber being in the form of a frustum of a cone surrounding the outlet and projectingup into the cup packing when the plunger is in or near its lowermost position, and a springten ding constantly to force said plunger up.

2. In a lubricating system, a conduit in communication with a source of force feed lubricant supply having a valve chamber therein with opposed valve seats, a vibrating valve body in said chamber having opposed valve faces to alternately close against said seats, a one-way by-pass between said seats opening towards the outlet end' of the con duit, and a projection on the valve body, for snugly entering the conduit to trap lubricant in the chamber; i V, v

3. In a lubricating systemga conduit in communication with a source 'of force feed lubricant supply having a measuring chainber therein with a valve seat towards the out let end of the conduit, a vibrating valve body lubricant supply having a chamber therein;

with a valve seat toward the outlet end of the conduit, valve body vibrating-in the chamber, having a valve face to, closeagainst the valveseat in one position of the valve body and having means to snugly enterthe conduit atfthe supply side andtrap lubricant in the chamber when theyalve body is shifted from said seat, and a one-way by-pass: about the valve body-opening toward the outlet end of the conduit for permitting offthe transfer ofthe trapped lubricant about the valve body as thevalve body is movingtoward the supply side of the chamber. e A

5.1In alubricating system, a conduit in communication with a source of force feed supply having a meteringchamber, a valve body fitted to vibrate in said chamber and adapted in one position to admit lubricant from the source under pressure to the chamber but to prevent its passing from the chamber to the outlet end of the conduit, said. valve" body havingiapart adapted to be drawn into the conduit at the suppllyside of the chamber for trapping the lubricant in the chamber, a

and a bypass about the valve body opening only toward the outlet side of the chamber.

6. A measuring for a-lubricating system, comprising-a1 casing having a cylindrical bore therein, one portion of which is of greater diameter than the other, the smaller portion of said bore forming an inlet opening for the larger. portion thereof, the end of the casing opposite said inlet opening having a discharge port communicating therewith and a valve seat, a plunger slidable in the smaller portion of said bore and forming an inlet valve for the larger portion of saidbore', a flexible piston carried by the inner end of said plunger co-acting withsaid valve seat to close said outlet port before said plunger 1 permits the passage of lubricant from the smaller portion of said bore to said larger portion, said piston acting as a bypass valve to permit the flow of lubricant to the rear. end ofthe plunger, and a spring for urging bore. 6 r a -r '7measurin'gunit for alubricating system, comprising acasing having a bore extendin 'therethrough, one portion of which is larger than the other, a plunger slidable said plungerinto the smallerfportion of said in the smaller portion and'serving as a valve- I to seal said to control the flow" of lubricant from the smaller to the larger portionof said bore, a piston carried by the innerend of said plunger and engaging the walls of'the larger portion'of said, bore, the larger. portion of said bore having a discharge port,"a valve seat adbricant through said inlet openinginto said chamber and a second valve, movable with respect to said first named valve, for closing said'outlet opening before said first mentioned valve 'open'ssaid inletopening', said unit comprising means for ejecting lubricant through said outlet opening when lubricant under pressure mg. I 9. A measuring unit for a lubricating sysis supplied to said inlet openf tem, comprising a casing having a chamber having a measuring chamber'formed'thereformed therein and providedwith inlet and outlet openings, a plunger slidable in said inlet opening and forming a valve for saidinlet opening, and a flexible piston carried by the inner end of said plunger and forming a valve for opening and closing said outlet opening, said pistonv also forming a bypass to'permit the flow of lubricant to the rear end of said plun'gen 10. 'A measuring'umt comprising acasing iIi,'-sai'd casing having inlet and outlet ports for said measuring chamber, valve "means for controlling the flow through said inlet and outlet ports for preventing the flow of lubricant through said outlet port when said inlet port is open and for preventing'passage of. lubricant throughsaid inlet port when said outlet port is open, said unit comprising means for displacing lubricant from said chamber through said outlet port. r I

11. In a measuring device, a receptacle having a lower chamber and an upper cha1nber of smaller cross sectional area opening out of the lower chamber, the lower chamber having an outlet in the bottom and the up} per chamberhaving an inlet in the top, a plunger fittingslidably in the upper chamber and having a head lying within the lower in said'bore that will said outlet when the plunger is moved down 7 and permitv a slight continued downward movement of the plunger after the outlet is closed, there being a' port in the upper end ofthe plunger in position to place said chambers in communication with each other when the plunger has descended to its lowermost position, a spring tending to hold the plung-v er raised, and means associated with said head to permit liquid to flow from above the same into the space beneath after the plunger has risen far enough to shut ofi communication between said chambers and openthe outlet. r 12. A measuring and discharge unit'comprisinga member containing two aligned cylindrical chambers arranged end to endone above the other, the upper chamber being smaller in diameter than the lower, there bein an d an outlet at thebottom of the, lower chamber, a plunger slidable inthe upper chamber and having a head arranged in and smaller in diameter than the lower chamber, a downwardly. facing cup packing on the head to prevent liquid from flowing up past the same and permit a down flow of such liquid, there being a port, so located in the upper end of the plunger as to open com-. munication betweenthe two chambers only after the plunger has descended far enough,

partially to compress the cup packing against the bottom of the lower chamber, and a spring tending constantly to force said with the head for-closing the said outlet when the head is down, and means for permitting fluid under pressure above the headto flow an inlet at the top of the upperv chamber a into'the space below the latter when the head rises, there being a very small port in the upper end of the plunger in position to place said chambers in communication with each other when the plunger is almost at the lower-V most limit of its movement.

14JA measuring unit for centralized lubrii eating systems comprising two cylindrical chambers, an inlet port for one chamber and an outlet port for the other chamber, said other chamber adapted to receive oil from said first mentioned chamber, and a differential piston operating in said chambers, the smaller part of said piston being exposed to therpressure of the oil entering said inlet.

- 15. A measuring unit for a lubricating s'y's- A tem comprising a cylinder, one end of which has an inlet port, the other end of which has an outlet port, a valve member reciprocable in said cylinder and alternately co-acting' with said ports, said valve member compris ing a flexible element for permitting passage of lubricant from said inlet port toward said outlet port and preventing passage of lubricant in the reverse direction, said flexible element sealing said outlet port prior to the opening of said inlet port when said valve member is moved toward said outlet port.

16. A measuring unit for a lubricating system comprising a cylinder, one end of which has an inlet port and the other end of which has an outlet port, a valve member reciprocable in said cylinder and alternately co-acting with said ports, said valve member comprising a collapsible element for sealing said outlet port prior to the opening of said inlet port when said valve member is moved toward said outlet port.

17. A measuring unit comprising a cylinder having an inletport and an outlet port, a valve member reciprocable in said cylinder and comprising two valve elements, onefor co-acting with each of said ports, one of said valve elements being movable with respect to the other in the direction of movement of said valve member to open one of said ports subsequent to the sealing of the other port.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification.

GEORGE L. MO ORE. 

